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Ben Ogren is the Creative Director and Head of Product Development for SupportLocal and we thought we'd get some of his insights on UX testing and feedback. Here are his thoughts:
Don’t design in a vacuum
Don’t waste time translating your ideas into pixel perfect designs. When you have an idea, grab someone (other designers, a developer, or a product manager) to talk and sketch it out.
Always create a prototype of your design
I like to use InVision because it forces me to create screens for every interaction, which ultimately gives developers a detailed visual of what they’ll need to build.
Don’t forget about transitions
Ask yourself, what should happen when the form is submitted or when a screen transitions? Make sure you define and prototype these interactions, they’re just as important to user experience as anything. A great example of this is the way Stripe handles their error states.
Content, Content, Content
Content is just as important to the user experience as the visual design. Make sure the content is digestible and don’t be afraid to write copy, it will make you a better designer.
Embrace everyone’s feedback
The members of your team have unique perspectives and as a designer you should learn to aggregate all of the feedback into a better design and experience. Also, including everyone ensures that the team is aligned and it gives the developers a quicker look into what they will be building.
Keep an eye on the big picture
If you’re designing a new feature, make sure you’re thinking holistically. It’s a designer’s job to maintain consistency and keep an eye on the big picture.
UX ≠ Visual Design
Remember that there’s a difference between the user experience and the visual design. You can find yourself solving for the wrong problems if you spend too much time designing something that looks cool.
